


Why does everyone think I want to help?

by GreyHaven



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Duke Crocker always helps, Even when he pretends he doesn't want to, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:01:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24161002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyHaven/pseuds/GreyHaven
Summary: Duke is having a bad day so he goes to Nathan and demands to be entertained.  He doesn't get what he's expecting, though.
Relationships: Duke Crocker/Nathan Wuornos
Comments: 20
Kudos: 61





	Why does everyone think I want to help?

**Author's Note:**

> Found this when I was going through my notes app and thought I'd let it out into the world :)

Duke stormed into Nathan's office, slammed the door behind him and flung himself onto the couch with a deep sigh.  
  
Nathan watched him with raised eyebrows. "Bad day?"  
  
"Obviously."  
  
"Could you try not taking it out on the door? Or the furniture?"  
  
Duke glared at him but Nathan just stared impassively back at him.  
  
"Fine. Do I need to apologise to your door and couch?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Duke rolled his eyes. "Sorry, door. Sorry, couch," he said in an exaggeratedly sweet voice, then added, "happy now?"  
  
"Yes, that's much better."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Why is it such a bad day? It's barely lunchtime, nothing could have gone that wrong yet."  
  
"Suppliers. Staff. Everything."  
  
"Ok, so why are you hiding out here instead of sorting it out?"  
  
"Because," Duke said, sounding vaguely scandalised, "Tracy told me I was in the way, muttered something about headless chicken, and shooed me out. Shooed me, Nate. Literally shooed me. With a teatowel and everything."  
  
Nathan laughed softly. "Ok, so Tracy has everything under control."  
  
"Apparently."  
  
"Doesn't explain why you're here."  
  
"I am here, Nathan, because I am supposed to be at work and now I am not, therefore I am bored."  
  
"Uh huh, and it's my job to entertain you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Nathan stood up and grabbed his jacket. "Ok. Come on then."  
  
"Come where?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
Duke sighed and stood up. "Fine, but it had better involve alcohol."  
  
"Nope."  
  
Duke sat back down. "Then no deal."  
  
"Fine." Nathan walked out of his office, leaving Duke alone.  
  
Duke stared after him for a moment, then raced outside. "What the fuck, Nate? You were just gonna walk out on me?"  
  
"Yes. You're being a dick."  
  
"Me?" Duke squeaked. "Me?!"  
  
"You."  
  
"Fine. Where are we going then?"  
  
"You'll see," Nathan said again.  
  
Duke sighed and allowed himself to be shepherded into the Bronco.  
  
Ten minutes later, he was bitterly regretting it.  
  
"Why, Nathan, why are we at the high school?"  
  
"School visit. Don't do crime, stay away from drugs."  
  
"But I'm not a cop."  
  
"Nope. But you're better at getting through to the kids."  
  
"So you want me, Haven's finest fuck up, to stand in front of a group of kids and tell them not to do what I did?"  
  
"Basically."  
  
"And how is this meant to be fun?"  
  
"You didn't say it had to be fun, you said I had to entertain you."  
  
"I assumed you'd know I meant entertain me with something fun. Or dirty."  
  
Nathan smirked. "Then you should say what you mean."  
  
"You're not funny, you know that, right?"  
  
"Neither are you."  
  
"I don't pretend to be."  
  
Nathan rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Duke, how many kids have you helped? The ones who have turned up cold and hungry, who you've persuaded to talk to me so we could help them. The ones who have aged out of the system who needed a roof over their head and a job to get on their feet. This is just a different sort of help."  
  
Duke sighed. "Fine. I'll talk to them."  
  
And he did. Too loudly, for far too long, and with at least a hundred more swear words than Mr Butler, the headteacher, was really happy with, but the end result was a hall full of kids who had been listening and engaged and nodding along. A handful of them came up to Duke and Nathan afterwards, asking for advice, and one kid in particular hung around until everyone had gone before she came forward to ask for Nathan's help with her mom who was sliding into addiction.  
  
"See," Nathan said when they got into the truck to leave. "You're good at this shit."  
  
"Maybe but it's not fun, is it? I don't know why everyone thinks I want to help because I don't."  
  
"Bullshit. I saw the way your face lit up in there. How animated you were. You want to help because you care."  
  
"Nope. Don't give a fuck."  
  
"You do, Duke."  
  
Duke sighed. "Fine. Maybe I give one fuck. One, Nate. One. And don't tell anyone, it'll ruin my carefully cultivated reputation as Haven's bad boy."  
  
"Won't breathe a word. Want to get lunch?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Not Lobster Pup. Or the Gull. Tracy might hurt me if I go back."  
  
Nathan laughed softly. "Ok. McHugh's place it is."  
  
"At least McHugh has alcohol."  
  
"He has alcohol. Thought I'd taken your mind off it enough that you wouldn't need it." Nathan started the engine and drove off.  
  
Duke glanced at him. Nathan might actually have a point about that. He was definitely feeling better than he had earlier. "I love you," he blurted out.  
  
"I know. Love you too."  
  
Duke nodded and settled back into his seat. Maybe just a beer with lunch instead of drowning himself in a bottle of good scotch.


End file.
